Mitochondria protecting agents for treating mitochondria associated diseases

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to mitochondria protecting agents for treating diseases in which mitochondrial dysfunction leads to tissue degeneration and, more specifically, to compounds, compositions and methods related to the same. The methods of this invention involve administration of a pharmaceutically effective amount of a mitochondria protecting agent to a warm-blooded animal in need thereof, and composition of this invention contain a mitochondria protecting agent in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent. Mitochondrial associated diseases which may be treated by the present invention include (but are not limited to) Alzheimer's Disease, diabetes mellitus, Parkinson's Disease, neuronal and cardiac ischemia, Huntington's disease and stroke.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for treating Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, diabetes mellitus or stroke by adminstering to a warm-blooded animal in need thereof an effective amount of a compound having structure (II):                    
       or steroisomers, prodrug or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, 
       wherein  
       R 1  and R 2  are independently selected from —H, —C(═O)C 1-3 alkyl and —C 1-3 alkyl;  
       X 2  is —C(A 2 )(A 3 )-;  
       Y 2  is —NH 2 , —NHR b  or —NR b R c ;  
       Z 2  is —H, —NH 2 , —NH 2 , —NHR b  or —NR b R c ;  
       A 2  and A 3  are independently selected from —H and —C 1-3 alkyl; and  
       R b  and R c  are independently —C 1-4 alkyl.  
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein R 1  and R 2  are —H or —CH 3 . 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein X 2  is —C(CH 3 ) 2 —. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein Y 2  and Z 2  are independently —H, —NH 2  or —N(CH 3 ) 2 .